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Game Story: By Area
Towns Tantegel In the hearts and minds of the people of Alefgard, there is no greater symbol of peace, stability, and Light than Tantegel Castle. The proud castle walls seem older than even the most faded manuscripts in the royal library or the most mythic songs passed down by bards for untold generations. The line of Lorik has ruled for the past sixteen such generations, from the time of Erdrick himself to the present monarch King Lorik XVI. The one constant across this era has been the Ball of Light, the priceless relic which Erdrick and his allies used to defeat a great evil and banish the Darkness from the land. However, the "Pax Tantegel" that Erdrick forged with his sweat and blood could not last forever. Of all the people in Alefgard, only one was unhappy; but one was enough. The seeds of rebellion were sown twenty five years ago, when the village of Kol was raided by a pack of dragons. While there was much destruction and many lives lost, few who witnessed the events would agree that the monsters were simply there to cause mayhem. Children were kidnapped, warriors were slain, and weapons of great power and status went suspiciously missing. Five years later, Hauksness also fell under siege by monsters, with similar motives, methods, and mayhem as happened in Kol. While both towns eventually rebounded from the incidents, those in Kol saw it fit to cast out all who shared the cursed bloodline of Argold. Perhaps, in this manner, the raids did succeed– by re-introducing fear and paranoia across the once content countryside. Over the course of the next several years Alefgard lapsed back into a sense of security. The raids were officially labeled as isolated events, even as rumors grew of an evil mastermind with the ability to control entire legions of monsters. But the rumors were just that: baseless conjecture and fantastical conspiracy theories spread by disillusioned townspeole with an agenda against King Lorik XVI, right? All that changed in a single day, one and a half years ago, when Hauksness was sacked. Unlike the first attack, this was no mere raid; it was a full-scale invasion of the town meant to raze the entire city to the ground. The entire continent was taken completely by surprise– Hauksness was wiped off of the map before Lorik could even amass an army to reinforce the town, and by the time a scouting party arrived to gather survivors, few could even be found. Tantegel, and indeed the entire countryside, was left reeling after the unprovoked attack, but the worst was still to come. Not long after the events in Hauksness, the monsters advanced upon the Devil's Isle and the settlement of Darin. Though Darin was just a stone's throw from Tantegel the King was again powerless to prevent the fall of the village and the subsequent monster occupation of Charlock Castle. And then, one year before the opening events of this story, the monsters led another attack; this time on the gates of Tantegel Castle itself. Though the siege ended mere moments after it began, the precision strike would become the stuff of tactical infamy– for the Ball of Light, the jewel of Tantegel, had been stolen. From that day forward, there was not a soul who did not fear the name of the Dragonlord. Without the radiant energies of the Ball of Light, monsters again began to roam the countryside and make travel between towns difficult, if not outright impossible. Six months passed uneasily as the shadow of Charlock Castle seemed to loom larger with each passing day. King Lorik XVI had to face personal heartache when his daughter, Princess Gwaelin, was abducted in a kidnapping organized by Develshion, the right-hand man of the Dragonlord. With little recourse left but hope, King Lorik had no choice but to summon all descendants of Erdrick to his throne room and commisssion them on a quest to destroy the Dragonlord. Will they succeed, or will a new age of Darkness reign over Alefgard once again? In addition to King Lorik XVI, there are a few other noteworthy citizens who live in Tantegel: The Librarian - Tends to the royal library, which houses books on almost any subject imaginable. Somehow, D'Saad Mulan managed to steal the Imperial Scrolls of Honor right from under his nose. The Head Templar - Is in charge of class change, whereby warriors young and old can declare the path they wish to walk in life. His questions were aimed at revealing the true character of those who sought his trial. Recently, the Templar has gone missing. Rusted, the Shadow Priest - Deciding that a life of adventuring wasn't the fun he had in mind, Rusted has taken over the duties previously held by the Templar. Though his methodology is in stark contrast to the Templar, the results are (for the most part) the same. Lot '- The Templar's young errand boy can also be found around the castle, despite suffering a brutal attack from the now-exiled Develshion. Varus, a soldier in the Tantegel guard and a descendant in his own right, continues to proudly serve his King and help out newcomers from time to time. Brecconary This town nearest Tantegel castle has seen more than its fair share of action. Price gouging at the tool shop is one thing, but an invasion of slimes? Thankfully, more than a handful of our heroic descendants arrived on the scene to "handle" the situation. (Okay, ''all of them...) Though Brecconary has been the town least threatened by the Dragonlord's rise to power, it has become harder and harder to find good help these days, what with the bloodthirsty monsters roaming the countryside and everything. The locals have resorted to teaming up with descendants and paying them for bodyguard detail, running errands, etc. When the zoologist convinces two such groups of warriors to travel to the Slime Pool, he unwittingly sets in motion a chain of events that leads to an enormous cloud of Eau de Slime to drift towards the town along with a slightly more concentrated army of slimes. The initial charge of slimes is met by the defenders of Brecconary, but once the slime cloud hangs over the city the sky begins to literally rain slimes down upon their heads. Outnumbered and now having lost the positional advantage, the only hope for a quick and decisive resolution rests with a lady and her supply of faerie water. The magical concoction does the trick to fend off the slimes just in time, as Garradum, Rengar, and Anduin had all begun to wreak havoc on their own accord in the meanwhile. Though King Lorik eventually punishes those who lost their senses during the siege, he is generally satisfied by the exemplary job of breaking the siege with minimal damage done to the town itself. Since the Slime Siege, the town has quickly recovered to be a bustling hub of commerce and travel as always. At one point, the mayor's daughter was kidnapped by monsters and it was up to Rengar, Anduin, and Archibald to save the day. Though the stronger, more confident descendants have since moved on, a new batch of signees took their place before long. Noteworthy citizens of Brecconary include: '''The Hexologist - Ol' Hex has residences in every major city, town, and subspace dimension in Alefgard. He prefers Brecconary for the steady influx of new descendants that are always willing (at least once) to donate their bodies in the name of magical research. The Apothecary - With his assistant Dr. Cornelius, the apothecary keeps steady business supplying herbs for the citizens of Brecconary and Tantegel Castle, not to mention the fledgling warriors who wish to some day venture further out in the wilderness. With the help of Rengar and Donardus he gathered a special variety of antidote herb to introduce into the marketplace, which has come in handy with the increased activity by babbles and poison moths. The Hunter - With scorpion exoskeletons adorned on his walls like battle trophies, the hunter makes no effort to conceal the fact that he only likes tracking the big game around town. He was the first to run into a metal scorpion, though he only survived the encounter thanks to Archibald and Rengar. While on a quest with Develshion, they fought a warlock who later impersonated the hunter in an attempt to trick King Lorik. The Botanist - Using his knowledge of exotic flowers and fruits, he has been able to produce a small quantity of strength seeds for sale by the local merchant. His quests are also quickly gaining the reputation of being deadly dangerous, no matter how well-prepared the traveler. The Archaeologist - Though he was unable to personally explore the Ancient Cave, his quest pointed the first group of descendants towards a huge first clue surrounding their destinies. The Zoologist - Has an obsessive fascination with slimekind. Though the trip to the Slime Pool is too dangerous to make himself, he's all too happy to hire descendants to do his research for him. When the subject matter turns to the legendary Green Slime, however, he only talks about destroying the creature. Steve, the Tool Shop Man (deceased) - Greedy and manipulative from the very first day the descendants stepped foot into Brecconary. He was selling Dragon's Scales for 2,000G a piece until Reid assisted the BBB rep. in uncovering the scam. Since them, he's tried to convince everyone he meets that Reid and his friends are no better than common thieves; that is, once his initial efforts to pinch every penny he can out of otherwise useless junk fails. Despite his unsavory behavior (and appearance), he does seem well-informed and connected to merchants from all across the country. Later revealed to be a vampire, and killed by Deleon and Develshion. Cool Cat - This funky feline appeared one day to take over Steve's duties at the tool shop. Though his prices are purr-fect, he's got quite the cat-itude should you take him lightly. After all, true character isn't just fur deep. Chrys, the Faerie Water Lady - Her appearance during the Slime Siege was the turning point of the battle, as the mystical faerie water was the only substance which could dispel the slime cloud blanketing the city. She also dabbles in fortune telling. Additionally, Artemis lived in Brecconary with her mother Leia before setting off on her own journey. Iaust also claims to have grown up in the town, and Meg was raised by her parents as a simple herb farmer before accepting the life as an adventurer. Garinham Following in the footsteps of the bard Garin, the town's founder and namesake, Garinham is world renowned as a capital of song and dance. It's not that the townspeople are oblivious to the threat of the Dragonlord; rather, sometimes the best medicine for hopelessness is a little fun and laughter! Garinham formally welcomed the first large group of descendants to make it to town with a performance by the Wizards of the Englishe Language. Not long into the show, however, assassins and ninjas stormed the stage and demanded a fight with the guests of honor. Though the descendants manage a victory, they are shocked to learn that the man who hired the thugs is the same man who employs the performing band: Doran Caleb Al'shane. Describing himself proudly as "a friend to some, an enemy to others", Doran perhaps best embodies the true spirit of Garinham: a cheerful charismatic personality that acts as a façade for the cold, calculating interior and the many dark secrets hidden within. Capitalizing on the strong entertainment dollar, Doran has recently constructed the Atma Monster Battling Arena. The arena is named after Atma in tribute to his efforts in bagging the most monsters for the initial stock of combatants. The inagural battle pitted Garradum and Zephyr against four Metal Scorpions, as "repayment" for the awful songs they composed for the Wizards of the Englishe Language. It is in Garinham where the ill-fated interrogation of Locke led to his betrayal after a murder, robbery, and bizarre nighttime sequence involving D'Saad, Cristo, and Argold. More recently, Doc Lolo acts on Quartz's advice and tells the tool shop owner that "Stan sent him", which has thus resulted in a journey that has united Lolo, Garradum, Rengar, and Atma with a certain King Miyu as they travel across the countryside in search of a missing prince. Noteworthy citizens of Garinham include: The Hexologist - It was from Garinham where he conducted Sleepnotization sessions on Cristo, Quartz, and Locke. More recently, he loaned Shaft a book on the archaic Laconic language to aid the man in his efforts at translation. The Apothecary - He has combined the restorative powers of herbs with the essences of wayward spirits (captured by Atma, Rengar, and Garradum) to produce an herbal essence which can heal an entire group of travelers. The Hunter - Like a scrappy little dog that doesn't know how small he really is, the hunter is never afraid to mix it up with even the toughest opponents. His quick thinking single-handedly saved Quartz, Rengar, Atma, and Garradum and shut down Mirach's scorpion factory for the time being. The Botanist - His first quest sent Locke and Atma out in search of a rare fungus. If only he could gather the fruit of a rare tree to the south to complete his efforts at creating an agility seed... The Archaeologist - Certain that the Rocky Mountain Cave was full of priceless artifacts from the past, he was overjoyed when a small army of fourteen descendants offered to explore the cave for him. He is now busy at work examining the spoils they collected from the cave depths. A second grouping of Rex, Shaft, Dr Mysterio and Majkel has agreed to further plumb the cave depths for treasure. Sadly, only the first two would come back alive. An esoteric Iron Box recovered from that trip has unleashed several powerful forces of nature out on the world; scattered across the land until they are sought out by those strong enough to prove a worthy challenge. The Zoologist '''- Recalling rumors of a "magic slime", he sends Isidor, Jarid, and Archibald out to search for proof. What they find are Healers with a knack for blowing minds and summoning a two-eyed, three-formed, jiggling purple people eater. '''Doran Caleb Al'shane - One of the most wealthy and influential citizens in the land, Doran resides in Garinham in order to take advantage of the myraid entrepreneurial opportunities the town has to offer. He claims to be a descendant of Erdrick, though he's never let that fact get in the way of good business. Doran prefers the role of neutral opportunist and will not hesitate to push any advantage he may have to advance his own goals. After Kuros racks up an enormous gambling debt Doran strongarms him into signing up for Lorik's quest in order to better keep tabs of the other descendants. Among his many treasures was a mystical Sword known as the Wayfinder, until evil Locke had it stolen away from his mansion. Anduin originally hailed from Garinham, though given her mischevious nature it comes as no surprise that she does not seek out a big homecoming upon her return. Kol One of the towns furthest from the Dragonlord's sphere of influence, though his opression manifests itself in other ways than outright destruction. The natural beauty has given way to a 'trapped in the wilderness' feeling, and the magical baths had even become haunted, for a time. Though Kol is widely reknowned as a popular destination for tourists, the city has not always greeted outsiders with open arms. Twenty five years before the present time, a pack of dragons invaded the town. The people, having lived in peace for ages, were caught wholly off-guard; the raid was devastating to both the town and its citizens. As Dr. Lolo recalls: "This footnote on Kol's history caused nightmares in even grown men. Families were torn asunder. Children were orphaned, parents watched their children be burned alive..." "What happened in Kol next... I was too young to understand at the time. There was discontent in many hearts over Tantegel's failure to help us in our time of need. But what's more, the people looked for an explanation for why... and a disproportionate number of those missing were of Argold's blood. After the raid, anyone believed to be of Argold's bloodline was forced to leave." Now, in the present, the same undertones of mistrust and isolationism seem to be sinking in again. The descendants who have traveled to Kol have had to deal with haunted bathhouses and severed trade routes in order to restore a sense of normalcy to the village. Lolo himself helped to cleanse his baths of restless spirits, and he was aided by several of his friends as well. Though the BBB rep who notified them of the situation is posessed by accident, they do learn that the cause of the disturbance was an artifact which was removed from the premisis by an old 'friend' of Lolo's: Howard of Rimuldar. Later, a merchant with his heart set on re-establishing the trade route from Kol to Rimuldar hires seven descendants to escort him along the way. Though the road is long and fraught with peril (Lolo dies along the way), they eventually make it to the gates of Rimuldar, whereby the merchant triumphantly sets up a SlimEx service to ship equipment back to Kol. Kol was also besieged by an army of monsters headed by Locke, and would have met destruction if not for the quick response by the other descendants to fortify the town and stave off the invasion, highlighted by Isidor of all people saving the day when Mirach tries to kidnap Elysia. During the invasion, Axis is defeated after turning into a werewolf, and Develshion loses a duel to a mysterious fellow named Salt, who insists on calling him Kyle and claims to know about his past before his time serving the Dragonlord. Turning the page on another dark chapter of the town's history, the citizens thank the descendants and are now soliciting their help to assist in rebuilding and reforestation efforts. Noteworthy citizens of Kol include: The Hexologist - One of the hexologist's job postings in Kol: Guaranteed Death (only slight danger to self). "Ha-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" The Apothecary '''- Every town needs a healthy supply of Herbs, and Kol is no exception. While his goal is the same, his payment is sweetened in accordance with the increasingly hostile wildlife that stands between him and his herbs. '''The Hunter - Unlike his friends in other towns, this hunter targets a local population of killer moths which have become unusually active (and agressive) of late. The Merchant - With a caravan led by his two trusty steeds six-legged winged lions, Binky and Ned, the merchant's dreams of blazing a trail to Rimuldar and re-opening the once severed trade routes between the two towns are finally realized when Zephyr, Archibald, Anduin, Cristo, Isidor, and Jarid lead him straight to the outer gates of the city. Proving that descendants aren't the only ones with magical bloodlines, he has his father, the hexologist, vouch for his identity in order to gain safe passage into Rimuldar. Kol has since received a steady influx of new equipment to help fight off the minions of the Dragonlord. Elysia '''- An apprentice under Dr. Lolo, she has taken care of the famous baths in his absense. Though she is fiercely loyal to Lolo and would never allow the baths to fall into ruin, she can be overmatched at times and requires a handy rescuing every now and then, such as with the haunted baths and nearly being taken prisoner by Mirach. '''The Old Man in the Swamp - : There once was a man in the fen : A soothsayer beyond others' ken : "Though thy bravery is true : Such weapons will not do : Thou shouldst come here again!" Eternus the Slayer - Eternus, who tamed the mighty babble and braved the horrors of the slime's lair, has lived a life of contentment and small fame in Kol. His son Isidor, however, has taken the heroic tales of his father to heart, so much so that even Eternus cannot convince Isidor that he is not in fact Erdrick's one true heir. Once he realized he could not talk his son out of his delusions, he sent the boy to King Lorik, hoping a little questing would knock some sense back into him. Eternus seems to hold a resentment for Isidor due to his brash and shameful behavior; Isidor regards his father in much the same light. Blade Torin - A battle-circle Initiate who journied from Cantlin with a flank of knights and another initiate, Wisdom Fran, in order to recover a certain artifact. The troop was ambushed and slaughtered near Kol, leaving Torin stranded as the only survivor. He has been holed up in the library, fruitlessly searching for clues on the artifact. Ixus bests him in a simple unarmed dual in order to prove himself worthy of his quest. After the fight, Torin hands Ixus an orange strip of cloth to denote the status of a Blade. He is now instructing the local militia in the ways of unarmed combat. Hank - A woodsman who lives on the outskirts of town. He has a big heart and an even bigger axe, which is why he agreed to help escort Meena and Zephyr to Rimuldar once the monsters began to infest the countryside. Though the trip leaves him with a bum leg after being mobbed by a pack of wolf-people, he still manages a humble living on his own— though his favorite hobby of magidrakee punting now goes unfulfilled. After Zephyr convinces Hank he isn't the weak little boy he used to know, Hank passes along a letter from Meena and a crucial bit of information to help him find Meena's sister. There are a few descendants with ties to the Kol region. Dr. Lolo owns the local baths and his family has lived in Kol for at least the past three generations. Isidor is also known around town, though he now considers the locale a den of evil with his father Eternus the Slayer and his next door neighbor H'sildur no doubt teaming up against him and his crusade for justice. Cristo considers Kol his homeland, though he has not always lived there due to the town banishing all who share Argold's bloodline. Before he was raised as the Dragonlord's right-hand man, Develshion was known around Kol by the name of Kyle. Whether or not this detail of his past ever comes to realization is another matter entirely. Rimuldar What should by all accounts be a scenic resort town naturally protected from the Dragonlord and other forces of evil has now become a polluted fortress city determined to keep descendants out at all costs. And now that Axis has declared himself Warlord of Rimuldar, is there anything barring a full-scale invasion that will allow the good guys to gain access into the city? Rimuldar's mistrust of Erdrick's descendants is well known throughout Alefgard, and dates back to the eldest child of Erdrick himself: Argold the Wanderer. Once Argold had been corrupted by the power of the Mindsword, he enslaved most of the citizens of the town and forced them to serve in his own personal army, which he tried to set against his own siblings. Despite the fact that Makoto's Soulcutter canceled out the hold Argold had over their minds, there is still a resentment to this day for the "self-serving" and "egotistic" descendants; those of the black blood of Argold in particular. And yet, the resentment has rarely morphed itself into a hatred as strong as exists in present-day Rimuldar. When Quartz was still skulking around Rimuldar under the name of Orwick he stumbled into an operation that gathered together descendants of Erdrick, for the purposes of torturing them and gathering their blood for a man known as Davidial. The 'recruitment center' was abandoned when a captive called Garson broke free and started slaughtering all in his path; only Cristo's father Henry was able to stop his rampage. Though Davidial has disappeared since those events, two of his subordinates, the wizard Mirach and the hulking brute Axis, have pledged loyalty to D'Saad and are counted among his most loyal followers. Isidor has personally pledged to wage war upon Rimuldar for barring him safe trespass and for casting aspersions on his noble heritage. Unfortunately, before he could forsooth his master plan into action, Rimuldar proper met its end when a huge explosion rocked the town. The black smoke that poured out of the city could been seen all across Alefgard, and a handful of descendants (Isidor, Jarid, Rikka, Cristo, Ixus, Archibald, and Mazrim) were among the first to make their way to the ruins of the town only to find a most curious spectacle waiting for them. Down a hidden staircase rests a cavernous city full of men who share a suspicious resemblence to the possessed BBB rep. of Brecconary. And governing this city is none other than Isidor's estranged father Eternus! This...is Neo Rimuldar. Noteworthy citizens of Neo Rimuldar include: Eternus the Slayer - Perhaps no one is more shocked than Isidor to find his father holed up in Neo Rimuldar as the leader of the subterranean city. What plots could he possibly be carrying out with his esoteric band of would-be BBB reps? With whom has he allied himself such that he came to rule Neo Rimuldar. Could Isidor possibly be right about something as crucial as his own father's bad intentions~? ApotheBBBary '- "Let me bring you love from the fields - poppies red and roses filled with summer rain, to heal the wound and still the pain, that threatens again and again!" '''HunBBBer '- "People ask me how I do it - and I say, there's nothin' to it. You just stand there lookin' cute, and when something moves - you shoot!" '''BBBotanist - "There is unrest in the forest, there is trouble with the trees - for the maples want more sunlight, and the oaks ignore their pleas!" ZooloBBBist '- "Now we will fight 'til the day that we die, and we will live for the battle - for the people - and they will tell all the stories: about the Warriors of Slime!" '''ArBBBaeologist '- "Maybe you'll find someone else to help you. Maybe South Mesa. That was a joke. Ha ha. Fat chance." '''BBBetter BBBusiness BBBureau - You know what happens when you make a copy of a copy? This guy does. Perhaps he also has a clue as to the whereabouts of the missing owner of the Tool Shop; one of the few citizens of Rimuldar that may be able to shed light on the events leading to the town's destruction. Hexologist '''- Did you really think something as trivial as Rimuldar's utter destruction would stop ol' Hex from setting up shop and experimenting on any travelers who happen to wander into his shack hoping for a few moments reprieve from having to deal with an army of singing BBB clones? Few descendants would ever claim Rimuldar as their home, but there are some who have visited or lived in the area. Quartz was trapped in the town for a full year after the theft of the Ball of Light. In addition, Cristo and Zephyr (albeit very briefly) have had past trips into the town. Rex and Shaft, along with Mazrim and Dr Mysterio arrived at the town but spent only a day at the inn before they were kidnapped and forced to flee for their lives. Hauksness By night, what was once a bustling town is now nothing more than a desolate wasteland. But in the day, the town is constantly re-living its final hours before it is razed to the ground by an army of monsters. The citizens are all preparing for a festival, but each has their own secrets that may provide insight into the town's ultimate fate, or the location of possible survivors. '''Mayor Silas - A man who claims to want only what is best for the town. Lucius the Zoologist - A premier scholar in the field of Slimology, whose recent studies have been focused on domesticating various breeds of Slimes. Unfortunately, the town does not appear to approve of his hobby. Trad the Hunter - Though he gave up hunting monsters many years ago after the accidental death of his best friend Eustace, he still makes a living trapping wild animals and selling their meat and hides at the town bazaar. He knows a recipe for wild boar that melts in your mouth. He manages to escape during the town's destruction. Joseph, the Hunter's Apprentice - A young man who has lived his entire life hearing whispers about his father's untimely demise. A dab hand with a bow, he decides that he cannot abide his uncle Wynn's temprament, nor can he forgive the Hunter for giving up on his own dreams in life because of guilt over his father's death. He resolves to join the Knights of Cantlin, but is overwhelmed by monsters during his escape. Wynn, the Armorer - The owner of the most popular arms shop in town, he inherited the business from his brother Eustace after the man's death during a hunting outing gone wrong. Due to this, he bears a grudge against the Hunter. He proudly displays Erdrick's Armor in his shop to all paying customers. Garradum - One of the original warriors to answer King Lorik's call to arms, he now spends his time observing the demise of Hauksness, and repenting for past sins which he refuses to disclose. Cantlin A heavily fortified town nestled deep within the southern mountain ranges of Alefgard. The city itself has existed in a state of isolation since the Dragonlord began to sever trade routes across the countryside following the capture of the Ball of Light. A handful of descendants managed to make their way out of the city before travel all but shut down. Included amonst them are Jarid, novitiate in the Church of Erdrick, and Ixus, an Initiate of Learned Battle. The brothers Shaft and Rex also hail from a noble family in Cantlin, and the priest Reid grew up in a Cantlin orphanage after surviving the first raid on Hauksness. Darin A frontier settlement built from the ground up in the shadows of the abandoned Charlock Castle. Darin had been founded in the days of Lorik IV who had had two male children. To the oldest he gave Tantagel and rulership of Alefgard. To his younger son he had given Charlock and a fiefdom in service to his brother. As things stood though, the Loriks of Alefgard rarely gave commands to their family in Charlock. They felt that they were well rid of the evil isle on which it sat and beginning with Alric I the island had been almost completely autonomous. Every three or four generations there would be intermarriage between the two lines to solidify the family ties but other than that and a few state functions, the Alrics and the Loriks had little interaction. Every day, the villagers toiled hard to reclaim the fetid swamps and farm the infertile desert. It was a meagre, humble existance, but they were happy. Until the day the Dragonlord's minions came and erased 240 years of progress in one fell swoop. Crops were burned, houses sank back into the swamp, and the entire population was captured and sent to the prisons of Charlock. Those who did not join the Dragonlord could not even experience the sweet release of death; instead, they were enslaved to do their master's bidding even in the afterlife. One practice seemingly unique to Darin is that of the slimers. Slimers had the uncanny ability to be able to tame and befriend slimes. The bond a slimer can forge with a slime can allow the two to perform many impressive feats. In Darin, Slimers were revered for the ability of slimes to deliver messages and hunt in the swamps. Perhaps some slimers from Darin moved out of the village to set up SlimEx services across the rest of Alefgard? Rengar is one of the only known survivors from Darin, though he has been forced to fight against many former friends and family who now serve the Dragonlord. Dungeons Ancient Cave Carved upon a stone tablet and sealed in a treasure chest in the innermost chamber of the cave; only accessible to those who have passed the test and proved their abilities against Erdrick and his companions: "Prophecy hath foretold of a meeting across generations — ye who read this have been predestined since before your fathers' fathers and beyond to partake of this meeting; for my name beth Erdrick, and ye are my blood, my seed taken root, spread across the land, and gathered again to this place. "When I and my compatriots came to this land, our Sacred Duty wast to seek out and destroy the Devil which coveredeth this land in Dark. This we did — using three magickal Artifacts, we created a bridge to the Devil's Isle south of Ladatorm, confronted the Devil, and destroyed it. But victory cometh with sacrifice, for each among us hath lost something dear — and the passage home which once openedeth in this place hath sealed; and now, this land beth our home forevermore. "History traveleth in cycles, and a great evil must someday return, which only my blood can overcome. For this reason I have entrusted those Artifacts to my compatriots to keep them safe until such time that evil rise again on the Devil's Isle. When evil arise, seek ye these Artifacts, then fight! for this is your destiny as bearers of my blood." Rocky Mountain Cave The Rocky Mountain Cave is the home of the largest stone quarry in the land of Alefgard, as well as a slew of ancient tricks, traps, and enough treasure to tempt even the most thrifty traveler who passes by. The cave has proudly stood at the foot of the mountain range southwest of Tantegel for generations. While the actual age of the artifacts contained within is a matter of debate that scholars and archaeologists still have yet to agree upon, the mystical properties that some of these objects possess cannot be understated. Anduin and Rengar teamed up to make the first trip into the cave among the descendants. The two were accompanied by Puck Darlington, a guard from Tantegel Castle who was tasked with monitoring Anduin and making sure she performed her civil service duty to excavate a supply of stone for patching up the damage done to Brecconary's walls during the slime siege. The trip goes well for a while, at least until Rengar slips into one of his trademark fits of rage and manages to awaken Anduin's Omega ego. In the climactic clash that ensues, Rengar beheads Anduin and then wheelbarrows her body all the way back to Brecconary as a sort of repayment for her role as a worthy adversary. The second trip into the cave comes when Quartz and Dr. Lolo engage in a friendly bet to see who can recover a greater value of artifacts for the archaeologist in Garinham. Quartz's team contains Isidor, Garradum, and Reid; Lolo is set to explore with Jarid, Racor, and Locke. In addition, Cristo, Rikka, Zephyr, Ixus, Atma, and Amelia make the trip too. Each group uncovers a fair share of artifacts, including a stone tablet inscribed with ancient writing. In a second foray into the cave, Rex and Shaft recover an Iron Box which is mentioned in the tablet. When the archaeologist performs a ceremony to open the box, an overwhelming power comes pouring out. The Hexologist speculates: "you've just released some very powerful entities into this world. Don't know where they went or what they want. But I do know they've got some great power bundled up inside them. I bet anyone brave and courageous enough to hunt them down could use that power for their own ends." He shrugged. "Never said it'd be easy though." The clues to finding these spirits can be found on the Stone Tablet recovered from the cave. Also residing in the cavernous Mountain Cave are runic carvings on the floor that have been enchanted with a magical barrier. The runes serve to bar the passage of those who do not walk the proper 'path' in life. Beyond each set of runes lies a trial that can only be attempted by those who have truly mastered their discipline: LIGHT SHINES BRIGHTLY ''— ''For those who walk the path of a Priest. For saving a woman in need, Reid obtains the Priest's Ring. (The ring has since chosen a new bearer, young Artemis). DARK BURNS STARKLY '— ''For those who walk the path of a Wizard. For proving his knowledge of magicks, Quartz obtains the Wizard's Ring. (Quartz has since passed the ring on to Dr. Lolo). ''NO HOLDS BARD WEPONS SKARD — ''For those who walk the path of a Fighter. For besting Garradum in a duel, Ixus obtains the Fighter's Ring. (After his death, Ixus leaves the ring in the care of Rikka). ''BESTOWD TO PANZRS MOWD THRU PANSIES'' — For those who walk the path of a Soldier. For proving that the best offense is a solid defense, Cristo obtains the Soldier's Ring. ''KORNERS BEWAR ROUND WUNS ENTER — For those who walk the path of a Ranger. For his balance and even-mindedness, Racor obtains the Ranger's Ring. Each ring has a unique power that the bearer can call upon in a pinch to tilt the scales of battle back in their favor. In addition, the rings all share a limited psychic link that has enabled the beares to keep in touch with each other over long distances. The rings may even have a mind of their own: the Fighter's Ring intimated the following to Ixus: ''My strength, and the strength of my brethren, goes to the one who is deemed worthy - and who walks my path. You met the trial and are deemed worthy; should you, or I, deem another worthier, that shall be respected. But only if they, too, walk the proper path. Swamp Cave With the Dragonlord and his minions targeting all ships which come and go across Alefgard, overseas travel has been made nigh impossible for all but the most skilled and unwavering captains. This means that the Swamp Cave is the only passage which connects Kol to the Southern Isle and the city of Rimuldar. Located in the middle of a swamp, of all things, the cave was once a well-traveled trade route wide enough to accommodate an entire caravan of supplies, with a main road leading directly south. There are several side passages and offshoots inside the cave, but it has been so long since they went explored that no one even knows why they were created in the first place. Unfortunately, the increase in monster activity has effectively severed the trade routes and cut off both towns from their usual supply of goods, equipment, and tourists. Re-establishing the trade routes, even under the protection of an armed convoy, would prove to be a boon to both merchants and descendants alike. Enter: a group of merchants located in Kol with a determination bordering on pure stubbornness. After hiring Zephyr, Dr. Lolo, Cristo, Anduin, Archibald, Isidor, and Jarid, the merchants' caravan sets off to the south in order to blaze a trail to Rimuldar''— ''or die trying. The Land of Alefgard Scorp's Nest The infamous Scorp's Nest is located deep in the mountains to the south of Tantegel Castle, and as one may guess the location is well-marked by an abnormal infestation of Scorpions that seem to patrol about the area. The local hunter in Brecconary gets a thrill out of tracking down these creatures and mounting their hides upon his trophy wall. The area is looked upon as a proving ground for would-be heroes, which is why more than a few descendants have offered to assist the hunter in taking down these skittering beasts from time to time. Rengar himself personally trained in this area for a time, taking a break from dueling against Scorpions just long enough to rescue the mayor's daughter (with Anduin and Archibald's help, and Jaws of course!) from a hideout not too far away. When Rengar and Archibald venture to the nest with the hunter shortly before the Slime Siege, they are surprised to encounter a ferocious breed of scorpion with metal-plated armor. Later on, when Quartz, Rikka, and Racor travel with a hunter from Garinham with a similar taste for danger, the four find a couple more Metal Scorpions. Though Rikka is killed, Quartz and Racor learn that there may be more to the story than an unnatural swarm of armored scorpions. Doran later confirms their suspicions when he slips that D'Saad Mulan has opened up a factory near the location of the Scorp's Nest, where one of his subordinates named Mirach is at work breeding a variant of 'Super Scorpion'. Quartz rounds up a team of Rengar, Garradum, and Atma and enlists the hunter's help to strike a blow against the operation, lest Mirach release these scorpions and cause the countryside to fall to ruin. The team makes it to the foot of the mountains where the Scorp's Nest lies before they literally fall in a trap set by their foes and have to fight their way out of an arena full of scorpions, including a Rogue Scorpion and a Rouge Scorpion imported from the Domdora deserts to the south. In the end, the hunter stirs the scorpions into a frenzy and chaos breaks out, but Mirach traps them in the nest and leaves the adventurers to die, which they surely would have if not for the timely assistance of a former acquaintance of Quartz. Have Mirach's plans for a breed of 'Super Scorpion' been foiled? To what end would D'Saad Mulan order the production of these creatures? And where has Quartz run off to with the red-robed woman? Only time shall tell... The Slime Pool Tucked away beyond a cavern in a secluded mountain range not far north of Brecconary, the Slime Pool is a complete mystery to all but the most battle-hardened warriors. It is a sanctuary for slimes of all shades, shapes and sizes. Even the eccentric zoologist knows better than to disturb the natural habitat of the many species of slime indigenous to the area, many almost exclusively. Which is exactly why he hires unassuming descendants of Erdrick to collect data on his specimens for him. Their target: the legendary Green Slime. There have thus far been two expeditions to the Slime Pool in search of the Green Slime. The first group of descendants were split into two teams and staged a race to find the mythical Green Slime: Reid, Rikka, Racor, and Anduin against Isidor, Dr. Lolo, Ixus, and Jarid. Both parties were met with an overwhelming ambush of Fangslimes, Drakslimes, Spotslimes, and Snalies. Dr. Lolo and Isidor were killed outright while the others were forced to deplete numerous resources fending off the slime horde. The previous fight left them barely prepared for what would happen next: the slime all around them slinks back to the Slime Pool, which gushes and swells upward and forms into a massive oozing entity— the Green Slime itself! Though the slime is much too powerful for a direct assult, it is also rapidly breaking down and losing control of its actions. Soon enough, the Green Slime boils over and explodes, ejecting countless slimes into the atmosphere. The descendants' celebration, however, is short lived: also expelled is a giant cloud of Eau de Slime that is carried by the wind to the unsuspecting town of Brecconary. The war that follows to protect the city from the slimy invasion is known simply as the Slime Siege. The second group of adventurers (Majkel, Develshion, Artemis, Mazrim, and Dr Mysterio) fare slightly better in their quest than the ill-fated first expedition; forewarned is forearmed, after all. The zoologist concocts a concentrated batch of Faerie Water that he plans to have them throw right into the Slime Pool, which will hopefully eliminate the Green Slime once and for all. Naturally, this plan is met with harsh opposition; not only by the slimes on the way to the pool, but the zoologist's house is ransaked shortly afterward— there is so much damage that it is hard to tell if the act was robbery or vandalization— 'or both? Luckily, Dr. Lolo arrives on the scene and rushes off to save the others. While the five adventurers do manage to make it to the Slime Pool, the act of 'purifying' the pool with the Faerie Water causes the Green Slime to reappear with a chilling battle cry and a heart full of vengeance. Mazrim's life force fades away as he catches the full strength of the Green Slime's blows, but Dr Mysterio and Artemis manage to hang on long enough for the others to slowly chip away at the behemoth. Improbably, the Green Slime is defeated, whereby the creature erupts violently and starts spewing slimes like candy from a piniata (at least from Dr Mysterio's perspective). The end result is that the rare breeds of slime that were once limited to the Slime Pool can now be found across the entire countryside. While the exact connection between the Slime Pool and the Green Slime is still unknown, there are a few prevailing theories. Dr. Lolo believes that the Slime Pool acts as a central gathering place where individual slimes can merge to 'pool' their resources, as it were. The Green Slime is merely the physical representation of the collective thoughts and desires of the slimes contained therein. And while many, including the zoologist, view the Green Slime as a menace that must be destroyed, this amateur slimologist believes that it was instead the unprovoked journey to the Slime Pool that caused the escalation of hostilities between the slimes and humans in the first place. If that is so, then perhaps we have not yet seen the last of the Green Slime after all... The Rainbow Bridge The only connection between the Island of Rimuldar and the Devil's Isle. Destroyed during the epic battle between Argold the Wanderer, his siblings Reid, Makoto, Ami, and Janus, and Argold's son Rinku the Somber. Narrated by Cristo: "They met him just east of the bridge that used to stand between Rimuldar and the island Charlock rests on. Now here’s where the big stuff happened." “They all tried to reason with him, but Argold’s mind was too far gone. Had one of the others gotten possession of the Mindsword, they might have been able to overcome its influence, but Argold was the most susceptible to its corruption. It’s a sad fact we of his line have had to live with hovering over us… “In the end, Ami threw fireballs at her older brother. Reid cast protective magic on everyone, and shortly after the fight started he even tried healing Argold as part of reasoning with him. “The entire time, they were all trying to talk to him, but he was unrelenting with his attacks, giving no heed to their words. They fought on, tears welling in all their eyes as they fought their eldest brother. Makoto mostly parried his attacks, protecting everyone beyond the point of what Reid’s magic could. “Janus, and especially Rinku found it hard to fight him. They stood by, watching for what seemed like years to them. As the battle continued, Makoto moved to make an attack. It had taken a while, but she found the resolve to strike her older brother. They were right next to the bridge, and their Blades locked. “Sparks started shooting from where metal touched metal. Then, there was suddenly a big explosion. Both Swords were destroyed. Their opposing natures weren’t able to take the stress of being forced together like that. The detonation of such powerful artifacts flung the siblings back. Reid immediately began healing everyone. Makoto was especially hurt, and couldn’t continue fighting. “The eastern side of the bridge was also wrecked, and the rest of the structure quickly collapsed into the waters below. “But Argold was one tough guy. He stood right up to continue his attack. Janus and Rinku were the only ones far enough back that the explosion didn’t affect them. Janus leapt forward, holding Shieldbreaker in front of him. The first of the only words that we know were spoken at that bridge were as follows: “‘Brother, why have you darkened the name of our father? Why do you fight us, your brothers and sisters? Why have you let your son see you like this?’ Argold didn’t respond, though. He merely revealed the one weakness of Shieldbreaker in an instant. He practically ran right onto the blade of Shieldbreaker. The Sword passed through him, doing no harm.” "Argold smiled as he suddenly realized the Sword’s weakness, and punched Janus square in the jaw, and took Shieldbreaker right out of his youngest sibling’s hands, tossing it off to the side. He then drew a dagger from his belt, and stabbed Janus in the stomach, ripping the blade upward before throwing his body down. “Rinku rushed forward, fell to his knees and quickly cast the most powerful healing spell he could on his fallen uncle and best friend. Tears were streaming down his face as Janus told him to stop, that the wound was too great for any normal healing spell to save him. “Rinku stood up to face his father, outrage giving him the power to do so. He was blinded by tears, but as Argold began attacking, he parried every one of his father’s attacks. With each clang of metal, he heard what could only be described as dice rolling. It was here that he realized the sword he had found in the chamber with Shieldbreaker with Janus was another one of ''the Swords. Coinspinner, the Sword of Luck. “He couldn’t see clearly, but he could tell when Argold was trying to attack, and would swing his arm, and he would parry. The four siblings watched quietly in awe as the fight continued, though Reid kept enough of his mind about him to try and stem the flow of blood on his youngest brother. “Eventually, Rinku’s eyes cleared up enough that he could actually make out his surroundings. He knew he had a Sword in his possession at this point. He began looking for openings and was able to get little hits here and there. But the luck the Sword gave him wasn’t enough to overcome the fact he was holding back in fighting his father. “Off to the side, Reid gripped Woundhealer tightly. He was out of energy after healing Makoto. He was praying to the Goddess for help in saving Janus. He suddenly got the inspiration to stab his younger brother through the heart with his Sword. Before he could think about the action, and before anyone could stop him, Woundhealer was up to the hilt in Janus’s chest. “The youngest child of Erdrick leapt up as his wounds closed, and he pulled the Blade out of his own chest, handing it back to Reid. After a quick thank you, he ran over to his discarded weapon, and picking it up, headed over to save his nephew. “Rinku had positioned himself so that Argold’s back was to the cliff, though he was a little ways away from the edge. The second thing we know that was said at the bridge was: ‘What? You’re going to push your own father into the sea? Can’t finish me with your blade, son?’ “And the last thing that we know was said was: ‘He won’t have to, brother! Rinku, get down!’ And as he said that, Rinku listened. He had learned to react to what Janus said without a thought as they had traveled together. Rinku dropped to the ground, and Janus jumped over him, bringing Shieldbreaker down in an overhead chop." “Even though Argold had been the one to discover Shieldbreaker’s weakness, he instinctively raised his dagger to defend himself. Janus sliced through the small blade, splinters of metal scattering outward as Shieldbreaker continued on into Argold. Janus cut him from shoulder to hip. The dark son of Erdrick stumbled backwards, and collapsed just at the edge of the cliff, where he slowly started trying to inch towards it before life finally left his body. “Ami slowly walked over. She had very little energy left in her, but she channeled all she had into one burst of flame that torched her brother’s body into ash. Tears poured from her eyes for hours starting the moment she cast the spell, but it had to be done." Davidial's Hideout Located in between two mountain ranges, under the sands in the desert to the north of Rimuldar, Davidial occupies an old lab which used to belong to Mirach. Now, the place seems desolate and abandoned, save for the odd visitor who has business with the man. Davidial has been linked with Mirach and Axis, and has some ties to D'Saad as well, but his true intentions are unknown to almost everyone. In Rimuldar he was at the head of a front which gathered descendants of Erdrick together to torture them and gather their blood. (Even so, he hired Orwick to spy on the operation!) He has also employed Locke to infiltrate Rimuldar and murder a historian kept jailed beneath the city. Racor bravely carved a path through Alefgard to the hideout and nearly subdued Locke for interrogation, but Davidial stepped in on him to prevent his efforts at justice. D'Saad Mulan's Hideout A vast underground labyrinth located somewhere on the continent of Alefgard. None who know even the slightest detail on the exact whereabouts of this stronghold would dare speak on the matter, for fear of coming down with an acute case of "head-explodey". From his base of operations, D'Saad and his most loyal lieutenants (Mirach and Axis, his own rank of Demon Knights, or the reanimated body of Argold the Wanderer himself) appear to be building up an entire army of monsters, undead, and twisted, brainwashed mages. In addition to the legions of 'warriors' at his command, the hideout also contains a fully stocked armory, tool shop, a place to rest, and a church– devoted to none other than the dark god Malroth, of course. With D'Saad's occult powers and his ability to create travel portals to warp across the land seemingly at will, the necromancer may prove to be as formidable a foe as the Lord of all Dragons himself. Regardless, he's already proven far more elusive; the twisted black spires of Charlock Castle may be a top of the line model for villains in the market for a fortress with a touch of "ominous, impending doom", but they are hardly discreet.